Homeowner trades in tub for powerful shower

Ed Del Grande

Thursday

Dec 25, 2008 at 11:30 PM

Q: I'm thinking of taking out my 5-foot tub and building a big shower with several different spray heads around the walls and in the ceiling. What professional tips should I keep in mind when designing the stall?

Andy in New Jersey

A: The first tip I can give you is to make sure your custom-shower unit runs as efficiently as possible.

I take the issue of conserving water very seriously and promote water conservation in speeches across the nation. However, I understand that homeowners have the right to install what they want for plumbing fixtures as long as local codes are met. It's all about choice, and I'm the guy who can show people that it is possible to have a luxury shower stall and still save water.

My first recommendation is that since you are doing a major remodeling job in your bathroom anyway, make sure you install new water-saving faucets and a high-efficiency toilet as well. The water savings from your new high-efficiency toilet and faucets may offset or exceed the extra water use in your custom shower right there.

But don't stop at that. In the custom shower, you can also use high-efficiency showerheads as well.

A standard showerhead uses 2.5 gallons of water per minute. "Performance" showerheads are designed to use 1.75 gpm and can still deliver a very strong spray. So, four performance showerheads may use the same amount of water as three standard heads.

Finally, incorporate diverter valves or two mixing valves into the shower to "zone" the system. A zoned custom shower will allow different parts of the shower to operate independently and this will save water because all the heads may not be on at the same time.

On high-end custom showers, a computerized mixing valve called a "DTV" (digital thermostatic valve) may be used to automatically move the water around multiple zones.

Also, make sure you work with a licensed plumber on your project to ensure proper water pressure and draining for your shower stall.

Master contractor/plumber Ed Del Grande is known internationally as the author of the book "Ed Del Grande's House Call" and for hosting TV shows on Scripps Networks and HGTVPro.com. For information, go to eddelgrande.com. Always consult local contractors and codes.

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